In a new development, Ahmedabad University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), a leading public institution based in Virginia, USA, to advance the internationalisation of higher education in India, as outlined in the National Education Policy.
The MoU will promote academic and cultural exchange between the two universities in order to advance the discovery of new knowledge, creative expression, and innovation, as well as to improve teaching and learning. The agreement also stated that areas of cooperation would include the discussion of programmes to be offered by either University that would be desirable and feasible for developing and strengthening cooperative relationships between the two.
During the signing of the MoU by Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at VCU Dr Fotis Sotiropoulos and Registrar of Ahmedabad University Bhupendra M Shah, Vice Chancellor of Ahmedabad University Pankaj Chandra, Vice President for Research and Innovation at VCU Dr Sriram Rao, Associate Vice Provost for Global Initiatives at VCU Dr Jill Blondin, and Head of the Office of International Affairs at Ahmedabad University Monika Setia
Professor Chandra commented on the development, saying, “We are committed to developing deep interdisciplinary capabilities in our students and research in order to find solutions to our society’s challenges. The important thing is to collaborate with other institutions, such as VCU, to create intellectual opportunities for our students and faculty.”
Dr Fotis Sotiropoulos, Provost, VCU, said, “It is a great honour and an amazing opportunity for VCU to be partnering with Ahmedabad University – a University, which, like VCU, is rapidly growing in impact and prestige and is at the leading edge of inventing the future of education. Both of our institutions share the same unwavering commitment to transformative innovation, student success, and meeting our students where they are in a rapidly changing world. This partnership will only benefit those we both deeply care about: our students, faculty, and communities.”
VCU’s P Srirama Rao, said, “I am delighted that VCU will be partnering with Ahmedabad University – an institution which like VCU is committed to enhancing student and faculty success, experiential learning, and transformative innovation. In addition to our growing impact and prominence, both Universities share a common vision of advancing research innovation and knowledge creation in targeted areas of energy, environment, sustainability, social justice, and well being. This new collaborative effort between our two institutions will not only advance student growth and faculty success but also the communities we serve.”
Ahmedabad University is a leading private, non-profit research university offering students a liberal education focused on interdisciplinary learning, practice orientation, and research thinking. The University, established in 2009, is rooted in the vision of one of India’s finest educational foundations, the Ahmedabad Education Society, which was founded in 1935 by nationalist leaders. Programmes at the University range from bachelors to doctoral levels in humanities and social sciences, natural sciences, engineering, and management through its 10 Schools and Centres:
Amrut Mody School of Management | School of Arts and Sciences | School of Engineering and Applied Science | Centre for Heritage Management | International Centre for Space and Cosmology | VentureStudio | Centre for Learning Futures | Global Centre for Environment and Energy | Centre for Inter-Asian Research | Ahmedabad Design Lab.
Ahmedabad University, an urban university, promotes independence and diversity in all aspects of its operations and assists students in maturing into critical thinkers who are analytically equipped, practically oriented, and contextually aware global citizens. The University provides a contemporary educational framework that brings together liberal arts, sciences, and the professions to create new knowledge for addressing society’s complex challenges, as well as majors that cross disciplinary boundaries to prepare students for the new economy.